Are you ready to learn from ministry and academic professionals and enjoy Bible studies, daily devotions and memorable times of worship—at the very sites where Bible events took place? Join Lutheran Hour Ministries Executive Director Bruce Wurdeman, Speaker of The Lutheran Hour Rev. Greg Seltz and Speaker Emeritus of The Lutheran Hour Rev. Ken Klaus as they embark with you Nov. 3-14, 2012 on a trip to Israel, a land so mesmerizing it's simply called "The Promised Land."

Tour guests on LHM's Israel Tour 2012: A Journey of a Lifetime (12 Days in the Holy Land including 2 Days off the Beaten Path) will experience the pulse and vibrancy of modern-day Israel, while basking in the rich, vast history of this crossroads of civilization. From age-old ruins to the bustle of contemporary Israeli society, Israel is a place like none other.

Your three LHM tour hosts will guide your explorations of a land steeped in biblical history, stretching back thousands of years. You will see Old Testament sites you've read about dozens of times. Among them will be Shiloh, where the Ark of the Covenant was kept; Hazor, a fortified city taken by Joshua; Qumran, the Essene community near the caves where the Dead Sea Scrolls were found; and Lachish, a Judean city that fell to the Babylonians more than 500 years before Christ.

And then there are those New Testament sites you've pondered, wondering what they must be like. You will stay in Bethlehem, where you will see the Grotto of the Nativity. You'll take a boat on the Sea of Galilee and see Capernaum, the Mount of Beatitudes and Tabgha, where Jesus fed the 5,000. You'll wander the streets of Nazareth, ascend the steps of Herod's fortress at Masada and become mesmerized by the many facets of Jerusalem—where the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, the Western Wall, the Dome of the Rock and the Via Dolorosa all await.

Travel cost from Chicago, Dallas and Detroit is $3,889, and from Minneapolis is $3,989. For more information, including registration details, payment schedules, transportation and lodging options and daily itineraries, visit www.lhm.org/israeltour.

Are you ready for a great men's ministry resource that explores and celebrates godly father-son relationships? Then the latest video Bible study from the Men's NetWork is for you. Colt McCoy: A Father, A Son, and Football, the second in the Profiles: Beyond the Spotlight with Chris Schneider series, is now available from LHM's Men's NetWork.

College football fans will remember Cleveland Browns quarterback Colt McCoy's stellar career as the field leader of the University of Texas Longhorns from 2006 through 2009. In his senior season, McCoy won 13 of the top 15 major college player awards, including quarterback of the year, offensive player of the year and outstanding football player of the year.

Dallas sports journalist Chris Schneider launched the Men's NetWork's Profiles series in 2011 with an in-depth look at NASCAR legend Ned Jarrett. Taking viewers "beyond the spotlight" again, Schneider talks candidly with Colt McCoy and his father, Brad, about the central role of faith and the lordship of Jesus Christ in their lives. God was the anchor of their family as Colt grew up; His Word was their guide. God was the source of the McCoys' every blessing—and their comfort when Colt suffered a devastating injury in his final collegiate game.

As with all Men's NetWork video Bible studies, a discussion guide and promotional materials for the two-session Colt McCoy study are available for download at no cost or on DVD for $15. Visit www.lhmmen.com to find out how to view, download or order this powerful series.

Lutheran Hour Ministries—Thailand has fulfilled its initial goal of providing 2,000 families affected by the historic flooding in Thailand with Flood Relief Packs. The first 1,000 packs were delivered Nov. 26-27 and Dec. 10 and consisted of rice, instant noodles, sardines, cooking oil, fish sauce, salt, sugar, medicine, a flashlight and batteries and encouraging Gospel tracts.

After the first 1,000 packs were prepared and delivered to flood survivors, the water in many communities began receding. Since cleaning up homes and businesses was now a primary concern, the project team decided to change the remaining Flood Relief Packs to include a pail, brush, sponges with cleaning pads, cleaning liquid, bottles of mosquito repellant, rubber gloves, cloth masks, cleaning cloths, container of skin balm and encouraging Gospel tracts. Enough money was raised through the project that the team was able to deliver cleaning packs to 1,100 families on Dec. 22 and Dec. 26, surpassing the initial goal by 100 families.

"We're happy that this project made it possible for us to get to know a number of our neighbors who very generously volunteered their time and energy to help us assemble and distribute the Flood Relief Packs," says ministry center director Monta (Boom) Ekwanit-Denow.

Although this flood relief effort is beginning to wind down, it's not over yet! Lutheran Hour Ministries has just received another $5,000 from LCMS World Relief and Human Care to provide additional assistance to those who are rebuilding their lives after Thailand's worst flooding in more than 50 years.

To follow LHM—Thailand's flood relief activities, visit their blog at lhmthailand.wordpress.com.

Jesus was brought up in a carpenter's shop in the village of Nazareth. He was no stranger to "real life" in Galilee—gritty and demanding, yet plain and ordinary. Things changed at His baptism by John, however; at this point, Jesus set out on a heavenly mission.

Jesus Christ: Man On a Mission is the title of Lutheran Hour Ministries' 2012 devotion series for the season of Lent. In Man On a Mission we see Jesus' life and ministry unfold: how He taught with authority, performed incomprehensible miracles, demonstrated unparalleled compassion—how He exemplified divine love in action.

His mission would take Him to His violent death on a Roman cross and an unprecedented conclusion: resurrection.

You can subscribe to receive LHM's Lenten Devotions daily via email or read them online. Also available is a downloadable PDF booklet version, which can be customized with information about your congregation and used to reach out to friends and neighbors.

To learn more about Jesus Christ: Man On a Mission, visit www.lentendevotions.net.

LHM's Advent Devotions Took Readers Back in Time
More than 100,000 copies of LHM's 2011 Advent Devotions, entitled Transforming This Christmas, were downloaded this year by churches across the country. LHM's Rev. Wayne Palmer led the reader to discover how God can raise you above it all—and transform Christmas from a stressful holiday into a truly holy day, a day that blesses both heart and soul. Based on the response of one reader, the devotions seemed to hit the mark!

"The writings of Pastor Palmer prepared to take us on the journey of faith, which led to the scene of the manger," says Walt Timm. "As we walked that journey we came closer and closer than we've ever felt before to where the Kingdom of God sent forth the body and spirit of our Lord Jesus. Each day as my wife and I read, we wanted to continue reading on, as we were captivated by how close we were in relation to the happenings of that time in history. And once the journey of getting there ended we began reading where our next journey of faith will take us.

"Our Church is greatly blessed to have a person such as Pastor Palmer. My wife and I thank our gracious Heavenly Father for providing Pastor Palmer and giving him the privilege of doing such a wonderful job of preparing for our Savior's birth. We hope that our Lenten devotions will have the same flair of making us feel like a part of what was taking place."

Many people in North America are starting to refer to our culture as moving toward being "post-Christian." When you look around you can see the results of this seismic shift: last year only half of all churches saw even one person come to faith in Jesus; this year 4,000 churches will close; and every year, 8 out of 10 college students who grew up Christian give up going to church.

At Lutheran Hour Ministries, we know that God still calls believers to the work of reaching out to those who don't yet know Him. That's why we work alongside congregations like yours to provide training and resources that enhance your congregation's witness and outreach.

Finalize your plans now to learn about Lutheran Hour Ministries' bold proclamation of God's Word and its resources for outreach during your church's celebration of Lutheran Hour Ministries Sunday on Feb. 5. While Feb. 5 is the designated date of LHM Sunday, every congregation is encouraged to choose whichever Sunday is most appropriate for celebrating the blessings of Lutheran Hour Ministries.

You can support the ongoing global Gospel outreach of Lutheran Hour Ministries through prayer, personal involvement and your financial gifts—and you can use the offering envelopes supplied on LHM Sunday to get started. Just write a check to Lutheran Hour Ministries on LHM Sunday and return it in the envelope to your church. A $50,000 Matching Grant from generous friends of the ministry can make your gift this year worth twice as much!

In appreciation for your church's support of LHM Sunday, we will provide incentives that will assist your congregation's efforts. Every congregation that raises more than $1,000 for LHM Sunday will receive two tabletop Project Connect Junior booklet displays stocked with booklets. Congregations that raise more than $2,000 can also host a MISSION U witnessing-training course in 2012 for HALF PRICE!

Pastors will be receiving a packet of promotional materials (video, posters, talking points, etc.) the week of Jan. 16 that can be used by your congregation to prepare for this special Sunday. Bulk shipments of bulletin inserts and offering envelopes (based on quantities received by your church last year) will be arriving to churches shortly thereafter. Additional worship resources are available online at www.lhm.org/lhmsunday.

For more information, call 1-800-944-3450, ext. 4195 or visit www.lhm.org/lhmsunday. Join us! We want to be your congregation's valued partner in ministry!

On a trip from Nairobi across Kenya to the western village of Kisii in October, Lutheran Hour Ministries—Kenya director John Maina enjoyed getting re-acquainted with Tom Otuke. Some time ago a friend of Tom's had learned about LHM, known locally as Nuru Media Ministry, through a local outreach event—and had signed Tom up for an LHM Bible Correspondence Course.

Impressed with the course's simple presentation of God's truth, Tom says he "fell in love with God's Word!" The courses helped him understand Lutheran teachings and why they emphasize the things they do. This in turn gave him confidence in discussions he often had with some of his neighbors who belonged to a church with a different set of teachings.

Tom's delight in God's Word and in Nuru's Bible Correspondence Courses motivated him to share the courses with others and to serve as a "Nuru contact person."

Then it motivated him to enter the seminary.

When John Maina caught up with Tom in October, it was at the Nyagesa Lutheran Church in Kisii, where Reverend Tom Otuke, newly ordained, now serves as pastor.

About this story of the Holy Spirit working through LHM's popular Bible Correspondence Courses John Maina writes simply, "We give glory to God."

We do, too.

More than 5,000 volunteers descended upon Pasadena, California, the last week of December to serve as Petal Pushers in decorating the Lutheran Hour Ministries float and eight others for the 123rd Rose Parade. The 2012 Rose Parade, presented by Honda under the theme "Just Imagine...," was held on Jan. 2 in front of an estimated crowd of more than 750,000 along the five-and-a-half-mile parade route and millions of others watching on television around the world.

The Petal Pushers spent up to 16 hours a day for a full week attaching thousands of seeds, leaves, stems, bits of moss and bark, rice, beans, flower petals and other natural materials to floats being displayed in the annual parade. "The main area where the floats are decorated reminds us of Santa's workshop," says David Kuehn of Champaign, Illinois, who traveled to Pasadena with his wife Maxine. "You have to see in person the minute detail involved in decorating the floats to believe it."

"The volunteers are so giving of their time and their money to make sure the job is finished ... this truly is a fellowship of great people," says Sherri Johnson from Dallas, Texas. "For one day each year, this parade is the most uplifting and beautiful place in the world."

For the 62nd year, Lutheran Hour Ministries and the Southern California District of the International Lutheran Laymen's League teamed up to sponsor the LHM float, the only religious float in the parade.

Under the theme of "God's Promise For All," the LHM float was covered with symbols of the promises that are ours through a personal relationship with God: the picture of Jesus, who is the sole path to heaven; the stream of life where hope springs eternal; the doves, symbolizing a peace which will only be complete in heaven; and the butterflies which remind us of the new life which is ours in Jesus Christ. The float definitely made a positive impression on many of the people who saw it.

"This is a personal thank you for your participation in the Tournament of Roses, thus keeping Jesus in this grand event," wrote Richard Bryn in an e-mail to LHM. "The Lutheran Hour Ministries float about Jesus was the shining best. People cheered and stood as this went by. My heart reacted and I had tears in my eyes to know we still have this in this day and age. No trophy was needed nor would do; what an exquisite application of artistry and talent and divine message."

LHM also received the following note from Shelley Olson: "We watched the Rose Bowl Parade this morning and saw the float entered by Lutheran Hour Ministries. Its beauty and its message brought tears to my eyes. Thank you for such a powerful witness to the saving grace and power of Jesus."

To find out more about the Lutheran Hour Ministries float or to learn how to volunteer with the Petal Pushers, visit www.petalpushers.org.

Join MISSION U online for January's great presentation:

Jan. 20 Easter Outreach Already? Lent 2012 begins on Ash Wednesday, February 22—less than six weeks from now. In our Jan. 20 Web Office session, you can share Lent and Easter outreach ideas with Christians from across the United States. To join the discussion, log on to
http://connectpro31217790.adobeconnect.com/webofficehours at 11 a.m. Central Time on Jan. 20.